News

Prince Bishops Shopping Centre announce charity of the year 2016

Over three thousand people voted online to select Prince Bishops Shopping Centre’s official charity partner for 2016.

After a nail biting climax to the public vote on social media engaging thousands of people in County Durham, If U Care Share Foundation secured the win by 27 votes. The shopping centre has pledged to back the local charity, which has three main aims: prevention, intervention and support of those bereaved by suicide.

The not-for-profit charity based in Great Lumley, County Durham was founded by Shirley Smith and her family. Shirley’s eldest son, Daniel O’Hare, took his own life at the age of 19 without warning or any prior history of poor mental health. The impact of his death was devastating to both the family and the local community. Shirley, her husband Dean and Daniel’s brothers Matthew and Ben, along with their cousin Sarah (then aged 10, 5 and 13) hoped to do something positive to try and prevent other families suffering a similar experience. They wanted to create a lasting memory to Daniel and that’s how If U Care Share Foundation began.

Georgina Thomson, Marketing & Tenant Liaison Co-ordinator at Prince Bishops Shopping Centre said: “this is the first year we have pledged support to a charity over the course of the year and we were completely taken aback by the positive response we received online. We are thrilled to be working with If U Care Share – suicide and mental health are not easy to talk about and remain very much taboo even in 2016. Hopefully through different fundraising activities throughout the year we can raise awareness and some much needed cash for a fantastic cause.”

Matthew Smith at If U Care Share Foundation said: ”we are extremely grateful to all those who voted in the Prince Bishops poll as well as the shopping centre themselves to be chosen as the charity partner for 2016. As suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 55 being able to raise awareness and necessary funds is essential in order to carry out our life saving, life changing work. It is through the support of places like Prince Bishops Shopping Centre that we are able to support families at their most difficult time and educate young people about how important it is to share how they are feeling. We are both excited and humbled by what the next year may hold for us as this partnership evolves.”